The Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi – where beauty is seen in the imperfect and impermanent – has led Laura Duval to create a collection of tableware which aims to encourage the positive effects of sharing mealtimes with family and friends.

Wabi Sabi encourages the embrace of imperfection and simplicity as a way of life. Applied to dining, the experience becomes transient, an occasion where the only evidence of such an act taking place are the memories that are shared and the emptiness of the vessels after dining.

Duval’s work expresses this idea, creating a tangible object which stimulates interaction and conversation. The unique designs are combined with functionality in its simplest form and are almost rudimentary in their creation. Diners are enticed to pick up, to hold, to touch and to feel the texture and balance of the vessels giving a sense of occasion to the experience of the everyday.

Based in York, Duval is an artist, designer and metalsmith who works with mixed media. She is inspired by her life experiences and her time living in Thailand. Although not previously working within the arts, her passion for all things creative led her to complete her bachelor’s degree in Contemporary 3D Crafts. Following on from that, her Master’s degree has allowed her to specialise in Metalwork.